Just diagnosed with prostate cancer

The outlook for prostate cancer is generally good because it usually progresses very slowly. A man can live for decades without having any symptoms or needing any treatment.

There are a number of known risk factors for developing prostate cancer which include:

age - the chances of developing prostate cancer increase as you get older. Most cases develop in men aged 50 or older

family history - having a close male relative who had prostate cancer seems to increase the risk

obesity, diet and exercise - recent research suggests that there may be a link between obesity and prostate cancer.

The prognosis is often very good if the cancer is detected in its early stages. Treatments include removing the prostate, hormone therapy (medication) and radiotherapy (using radiation to kill the cancerous cells).